Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-12-06
A sOLILoouY
BY the Old state House Regarding ITS
Critical Condition and Impending
Decision as to Hts Fate.
horn nndar aI,sr,i ois,r,s

BY the Old state House Regarding Its
Critical Condition and Impending
Decision as to Hts Fate.
1 was born under auspioious circumstances;
it was in the year 1929. I am, therefore,
''town born" and take pride in the fact For,
Who never to himself hath said
This is my own, my native land?''
1 came into the world in thoroughly re-
spectacle way and inherited sound and
strong constitution. repel Indignantly any
insinuations that I am old, tottering, worn
out, feeble in my upper stories, etc. ri am
not DID, I cannot be old" I am far yet from
seeing my three score and ten am in nay
prime. I haven't had cent expended upon
me for doctors bills in years. have been
sadly neglected. look, therefore, run down
at the heels, and this good town of my birth,
Notwithstanding I am Clown born" is 10th
to give me a new coat; hence my seedy ap-
pearance. 1 ana true as steel to the old Puri-
I am full of strength. 1 feel proud of my
position in New Haven, situated as I am
where I can gaze down upon the busy marts
and bazaars of trade; where can behold
the steady growth of Yale college, its in
crease of fine buildings, and the pranks
done on the college campus, ard for that
matter within my own portals. feel solemn
too; solemn, because I live among graves.
Near me lies the dust of one of the reeieides
who sentenced Charles I to the scaffold,
and close by is the dust of innumerable of
the early fathers and mothers of this town,
and have heard that under my very feet lie
the graves of many more of them. lowe no
grudge to Yale despite the fact that it's presi-
dent wants me pulled down and most of the
professors say ''amen" accordingly. I rejoice
in Yale's prosperity; but like one of our great
heroes 1 simply say, "Let as have peace" I
want no occasion for a requiem over me, nor
for the exclamation, ffPeace to its ashesl"
feel solemn when I think that the Ques-
ton whether die violent death is SO soon
to be decided. The people of New Haven to-
day decide my fate unless the county tn rows
its protecting @gis about me and de6es my
tormentors. I am law-abiding structure
In my precincts many laws have been made
and many laws unmade. I heard genial Tom
Waller make his eloquent and vivid rhetori-
cal speeches in favor of bridging the Connec-
ticut river, and heard the sonorous and Wig
orous speeches of Senator w. W. Eaton in
opposition to bridging zone of Gods high
ways" have seen election day procession
after election day procession. I have seen
governor after governor inaugurated within
my walls. I have seen scores and scores OF
grave and dignifed senators and
many hundreds of representatives la.
boring for the good of the State. I
have seen more than one senator nominated
for the national Congress. have seen scores
of Fourth of July celebrations and many a
grand display of Fourth of July works I
have been a repository for Prof. Blake's
Swedish figures and art museum, and many a
flower show and pear show has been held
within my walls in years gone by, by the
horticultural and genealogical societies of
1I7or 1ar1a \ 4 T -, 4 IL
rious Grand Army ''Tacket" few days ago
within my walls. I am still the receptacle
which contains the myriads of historic treas
ures of the New Haven Colony Historical So
ciety; and I am visited by many of the boys
of the city who receive good instruction at
the Boys club held within my walls; am a
useful building, but no one takes care of me
or spends cent on me, and then they won-
der why don't "brace up" and look slick
and neat. I am visited nearly every ten min
utes by committees who either want to have
me pulled in pieces or else-dear kind souls
recognizing my merits, want to give me a
decent coat to my back, and spend few dol
lars on me- I am the subject of much talk
in the public press, and I am feeling rather
proud of my prominence in the public mind;
yet the feeling is mingled with a pathetic
strain, for 1 feel like a martyr on the eve of
his execution, about to be sentenced to death
because am misjudged. I am conscious that
L pOeSesS Eeal Solo substantial Virtues. SOL0e
want to displant me, see, SO that they can
spend s15O,00O or 5000. 900 more of the pub
lie money to erect successor on nay site, and
my site alone is worth $50, 1000. Republics,
it is said, are ungrateful SO are some cities.
I cannot really believe, however, that I am
to be pulled to pieces, nor that am ''blast-
ed old ruin" I have committed no crime
worthy of death. 1 stand serene, proud of
my resemblance to the Grecian Parthenon
| and my transcendent beauty by moonlight.
I am sensible to the last and if go down it
will be with colors flying. I have said
| enough. I am mot all to pieces" not call
broke up" 1 simply want decent attention
/ and repairs and promise I will not be a
public burden, and will, If repaired, live on
for century more to rejoice at the still fur
ther great progress to be made by our COM
monWealth.